The Woodlands Township officials on March 26 discussed recent e-vehicle accidents and the township's options to help reduce them in the future through education and other measures.
What we know
Community Impact previously reported that motorized vehicles are not permitted on pathways in The Woodlands, and restrictions on e-vehicles were upheld by the township board in 2021 after concerns arose from the public about walking safety through park systems. In 2025, The Woodlands discussed partnering with county and school officials for an education campaign about e-bike safety, after a public meeting on the topic.
What happened
After revisiting the topic of e-bikes in several meetings last year, in July the township started to monitor incidents, which led to a series of social media campaigns, said LeaAnn Petersen, director of communication for the township.
Petersen presented a report to the board March 26 including education efforts, neighborhood services activities and school district collaboration to show progress on getting safety awareness out to the public.
The March campaigns consisted of an interview with The Woodlands Fire Chief Palmer Buck on the theme, “Heads up, Phones Down.” Petersen said that videos posted of a public safety official in uniform on camera perform well and show the public is paying attention.
Meeting highlights
Buck said The Woodlands Fire Department has responded to 37 bicycle and e-vehicle incidents since July 1 in The Woodlands in which :
- 10 people were transported
- Eight sustained moderate injuries
- Two sustained major injuries
Most incidents occurred at intersections or involving interactions with cars, he said.
Although data shows most accidents are coming from bicycles, they’re seeing more injuries from e-scooters because they reach speeds of 20-30 miles per hour, Buck said.
Buck said teens ages 13-19 remain the largest age group getting injured, also noting that:
- 80%-85% are not wearing a helmet
- Compared to the January report, motorized incidents increased by 4%
- 75.7% of injuries were minor, but 25 of the 36 injuries involved a vehicle
The county is reporting similar incidents, but it depends on location, said James Campbell, chief of Emergency Medical Services for the Montgomery County Hospital District.
“There’s different pockets of neighborhoods where four-wheelers and side-by-sides are more prevalent than e-scooters. There’s accidents on waterways, dirt bikes, four-wheelers and scooters running into parked school buses,” Campbell said.
Moving forward
The township accepted the presented report and will continue to monitor incidents as well as continue creating education campaigns. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is working on an educational piece to explain the differences between the classifications of electrical devices, Petersen said.
